Tree looks small enough to move to a spot you like better, try this before it leafs out this spring. Maybe do a web search for something like "trees transplanting" to get tips and pictures showing this being done.

If this mostly brings up large trees being moved try "shrubs transplanting".

The area outlined with the bricks is such a small are a for hedges, and you have such a large empty lot. That brick outlined area as a paved surface would provide a more ample walk-way with plenty of room for pots and a trellis up the side of the garage wall.

The tree nearest the driveway looks nice, but I don't understand it's placement. It blocks the view of the front door from the road and highlihts garage door too much.

Consider some shrubs and trees further away from the house that distract from the garage door and frame the view of the front door.

For me the setback would be a plus and I would want the street blocked out. The front door just needs to be visible and accessible to people in front of the garage, who have business being in the driveway.

Cops tell you to have your house open to the street for security reasons. This also enables crooks to see in and case the joint. Last year I saw a show where it was demonstrated how easily common home alarm systems could be defeated, the house used was a big new one on a bare lot with other houses right around it. I think maybe the people showing how to get past alarms were former burglars - anyway as I remember it two main points were that neither the alarms nor the visibility were deterrents. Showed how they could slip right in and evade the alarms in quick succession. (How to have a better setup was also shown).

Here goes. That evergreen nearest the driveway would look great by the garage on the other side because it will eventually block the house lines of your neighbors homes. I would relocate the deciduous tree 10-15 feet out from where it is now so it and the evergreen frames the house. I am partial to Potentilla "Kay Dykes," deciduous and yellow blooms all summer and some junipers i.e., blue rug, blue pacific, and cotoneaster horizontalis, semi-evergreen, red berries in the winter. You may have to prune back all the plants when they creep onto the sidewalk or lawn. Use gravel or other stone mulch and take your bed around to the side of the house with the drain washing onto the lawn.

Here is a link that might be useful: Propagating Perennials

The potentilla is correctly 'Katherine Dykes'.

I won't try to suggest plants since I don't know Illinois. Your best bet is your county extension office's master gardener. They can tell you what is easy and pretty in that area.

In the broader sense of your landscaping, congratulations!! You have the rare privilege of a clean slate. If you can possibly stand it, I would wait a year or so. I think the British say "pig it". See how you use the yard. Or see how you want to use it. I am a strong believer in form following function. Do you have children? Where do they enjoy playing? Do you have a comfortable place to sit and watch them? Is there a good place for them to place their drinks while they play?

Maybe you don't have kids yet. When you get home from work, where you do like to sit? In the backyard, to watch the sunset? Do you have a nice place to sit? (Build a patio) Somewhere to sit your wine glass? (Buy two comfy chairs and a little table.) Something to look at?

Would you enjoy some pretty flowers to greet you when you drive up the driveway? Is there some way to get from the street to the house without tip toeing around the cars in the driveway? (Build a path.)

I hope these questions show you how what you do in the garden can determine how you landscape.

While you are "pigging it", I would definitely get rid of the tree right next to the house. Not only does it give you sound pollution, but it's root system threatens the foundation of your house. Plus, it couldn't possibly develop a proper shape squashed up against a structure like that.

I would also get rid of the trees further out in the front yard. They are doing nothing for your front yard.

Julie Moor Messery (spelling???) has written some awesome books on landscaping that you could read while pigging it.

I hope this helps!! I"m sure it will be lovely.

I must also mention that I took the picture w/ a super wide angle lens. Therefore, the lot really isn't a big as it appears. Sorry, I should have mentioned that. The lot is really only 1/3 of an acre.

well placed trees can act as windbreaks. as previously suggested you might want to speak with your local Cooperative Extension/Master Gardner program to see if they have any suggestions for placements of trees on your property.

if that were my house, i'd consider doing a large curved planting bed that extended from the right front corner of the house to below the walkway. that would give you much more room to work with and allow your poor little shrubs room to grow. it would help add some curb appeal. you could easily play off the red of your front door in the plantings. i too would consider moving the evergreen from the front of the house to either side, or even still in front but off-set from the front door.

does your property extend to the left, by the wooden fence? if so i would consider some kind of plantings along that to break up the monotony of that fence. if your lot line runs along along the fence on the left side, i'd also consider putting some trees or something along the lot line to define the space.

one of my pet peeves are new developments where there are only a few small trees. looks un-natural to me. i know that's the developer's fault but it would be nice reduce that starkness.

By my California standards, I think that 1/3 of an acre is a HUGE lot. Our lot is less than half that size :-(

I've been looking at an interesting (if old) book on landscape design that I checked out from the library. It's Readers Digest "Practical Guide to Home Landscaping" c 1977. I've also liked a book called "Front Yard Gardens: Growing More than Grass". I suggest that you read books on landscape design, either these or something that appeals to you, to learn about gardening.

As far as what you should do now, definitely move that deciduous tree by your house. There is a lot of information on the internet about transplanting trees.

I agree w/Bullthistle about moving the evergreen by the driveway to the other side of the driveway. When it's bigger it will completely obstruct your home--unless that's what you would like! ;-)

I think some low maintenance plants for your brick-lined bed you could consider are dwarf barberry and daylilies. They are fairly common plants but low maintenance--perfect for a new gardener and easy to remove if you ever want something else. You can find daylilies (go for the dormant types) in almost every color but blue. If you want a more unusual look, avoid the typical orange and yellow daylilies.

Here is a link that might be useful: dwarf barberry

Think my first order of business would be to deal with the tree planted against the house. Do you know what it is and if it's something worth saving for somewhere else in the yard?

It's amazing how tenacious tree roots can be - and if it would make more sense for this specimen to simply be gone - you can dig down and around and oftentimes a shovel, used as a lever, can rock the roots loose to the point where they can be sawn or lopped off. Much easier to tackle this before the tree gets into full leaf.

I like the idea of a wider sweep of planting bed as suggested above. And keep the slate; it serves a purpose until you decide if something different is in order - and edges can always be softened with low growing plant material.

If getting rid of the lone pines in the front yard isn't an option, they could benefit from having "friends" to make them groupings of three for starters. The pyramid evergreen shape is already there, so globular or more boxy, at least irregular or maybe even a weeper, in shape would give points of interest from both the curb and your windows.

I'm in zone 4, and there is a good range of material available. A good local nursery or a spin through the U of Ill. Extension Service websites can get you started. I'm dealing with large spaces so any or all of this may be out of the question for you (nothing unusual or "outside the box" here, they just do well in zone 4), but I make good use of Spruce, Junipers, Ninebarks, Alpine Currant, crab apple, lilacs, northern developed azaleas, Anthony Waterer spirea, flowering almond, viburnum, mock orange, daylilies, peonies, tall bearded iris, Siberian iris, ferns, dianthus, hostas, nepeta, Veronica, sedums. And I've rediscovered the benefits of using annuals here and there - no large investment, an easy way to play around with textures, shapes and colors without the committment of perennial plantings.

P.S. Resist any temptation to plant a flower ring around your mailbox. :-)